Kevelaer to Belgium connection Chapter 18

 Connecting Kevelaer to Belgium

The connection between Kevelaer and Luxembourg is obvious. The image at Kevelaer came from Luxembourg. The image includes a picture of the city of Luxembourg with the name Luxembourg right on it. At Kevelaer there are 2 silver strings with the inscription, "A sign of love from Mother to Daughter."  H. G. Schneider "Kevelaer Die Gnadenkapelle" (Kevelaer The Mercy Chapel) page 8. Published March 4, 2013.

The connection to Scherpenheuvel and Belgium becomes clear with a little investigation.  

1. "The miraculous picture from Kevelaer shows the Comforter of the Afflicted, as she is probably depicted in the prayer notes printed in Antwerp."  Hans-Gunther Schneider "Kevelaer The Mercy Chapel" page 6. Translated from German.

2. The bishop sent Oratorians to Scherpenheuvel to minister to the pilgrims. The bishop sent Oratorians from Scherpenheuvel to Kevelaer to take care of the pilgrims. 

3. On the fountain in the courtyard of the Baptismal Chapel at Kevelaer is an inscription that reads, "The Grace of God flows eternal". This inscription is in Dutch and German.

Fountain at Kevelaer

4. The new chapel in Kevelaer is modeled after the chapel at Scherpenheuvel.

5. The Treaty of Venlo in 1543 made the Duchy of Geldern part of the Netherlands belonging to the Holy Roman Empire. (German Geldern, Dutch Guelders) Kevelaer was located in the Duchy of Geldern (Guelders).  Hendrick Busman, builder of the first chapel at Kevelaer, lived in the town of Geldern. The image was brought to Kevelaer from Geldern. The first priests at Kevelaer were Capuchins from Geldern. 

6. In 1555, Charles V gave power over the Netherlands to his son Philip, King of Spain. Thus Kevelaer became part of the Spanish Netherlands. By 1579, as a result of political revolution and the Reformation, Geldern is part of the Utrecht Union and the Catholic Church is forbidden. In 1621, Spain tries to take control of the region through military force. In 1642 Busman built the first chapel. In 1648 there is the Peace of Westphalia. Westphalia is located within the Duchy of Geldern. (Much if this history comes from Fr. Norbert Siwinski, Ph.d., OFM Conv, from a paper titled Consolatrix Afflictorum, Sanctuary of Our Lady, Kevelaer. 2017. Some of this history came from Wikipedia.)

7. Kevelaer became part of the Diocese of Munster in 1821. The local population became upset at that time because their new bishop required that High German be used for sermons, catechisis, and prayer books. The people of Kevelaer spoke Dutch Low German and could not understand the High German language. They could understand their Flemish neighbors who also spoke a Dutch dialect. Scherpenheuvel is in the Flemish region of Belgium. 

8. Here is a video from 2017 that shows people from Scherpenheuvel, Luxembourg, and Kevelaer all marching together in a Marian procession. The images on the banners are similar. The image from Kevelaer is too small to see in the video, but it is the same image as on the banners. It helps to watch this in full screen on a computer.

Note the image of Our Lady of Consolation on banners from 1:42 to 1:50, again note 4:52 to 5:04 (banner reads Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel Pray for Us in Dutch), again note 5:30 to 5:46 (Consolatrix Afflictorum, Luxembourg), again note Kevelaer image being carried 8:00 to 8:12. Also notice the number of bishops in the procession at 9:10 to 9:28. This video demonstrats that the people of the region see an association between Scherpenheuvel, Luxembourg, and Kevelaer. Of course, Mary is Mary. As pointed out earlier, Jesus has one Mother.